Discussion on "transitional justice" in Morocco: global comparisons and current projections

The theme of "Transitional Justice" was held in the Moroccan capital Rabat on 17 and 18 January, with the participation of parliamentarians and members of the Arab Shura Councils in a conference on national reconciliation. The conference was attended by experts and activists from the African continent and Latin America, who acquired particular importance because it offered an opportunity to Arab participants, in particular, to know a wide range of reconciliation experiences. and transitional justice. The Association of Senators, the Councils of Shura and similar Councils in Africa and the Arab world (ASICA) organized this international symposium in collaboration with the National Council for Human Rights in Morocco. The aim of the conference is to identify the use of transitional justice, instead of all other forms of resolution of past conflicts, as well as "regional geopolitical changes and the consequences of protests and social donations that have led to a change in the political systems of some countries ", according to the head of the Chamber of Moroccan Councilors Hakim bin Shamas.

"The Arab world is at the forefront of the areas of urgent and genuine reconciliation to end the haemorrhage

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Ben Shammas said that "the Arab world is at the forefront of the areas affected by an urgent and real reconciliation to end the haemorrhage resulting from blood transfusions, which continue to cast a shadow over our immediate surroundings" . In this context, successful experiences have been reviewed in this context, such as Rwanda, Northern Ireland, South Africa, El Salvador, Sierra Leone, Argentina and Ecuador, represented by former Interior Minister Jose Serrano, who lost his brother in 2013. Transition to semi-solid democracies.

With the exception of Moroccan experience in the establishment of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission in January 2004, as well as of Tunisia in which the Truth and Honor Commission presented its final report a month ago, the rest of the Arab delegations expressed its "good will "and reviewed their local experiences of reconciliation most of which had been done in the past, avoiding the problems of the present. The Iraqi experience on transitional justice has been considered a failure by all accounts, according to the director of the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), Middle East and North Africa, Habib Nassar. Despite the regular nature of the Conference, some negative indicators were recorded: when the base was transmitted to the Qatari representative, the Saudi delegation left the room.

The Bahrain representative spoke of the reconciliation conducted by the Authority at an earlier stage and in co-operation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, but did not address the current situation of freedoms. in the Kingdom, classified by the United Nations indicators and agencies with very religious salaries.

"Some of the reasons for the continuation of the conflict are the presence of 20 million weapons distributed among the fighting militias," said one of the Arab participants, as one of the Libyans said. "Interventions and external infiltrations have further aggravated the crisis and without building a minimum of trust among all", but stressed that "hate does not build lands".

In turn, a member of the Sudanese delegation reviewed the history of the reconciliations that took place in Sudan, with 114 languages ​​and 500 dialects. He emphasized the famous agreement that led to the secession of the south from the north, but did not address the current crisis, which has made the country in a rapid format towards a popular uprising against President Omar al-Bashir. The representative of the Sultanate of Oman was more audacious when he stressed the need for the peoples of the Arab region to reach a profound reconciliation to end the protracted conflicts. Was it asked that "the Arab parliaments should be able to carry out the task of an early warning before the differences turn into armed conflicts?"

"Reconciliation and transitional justice are linked to democracy as a way of governing

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In general, the struggle of Arab parliamentarians to talk about reconciliation and transitional justice is an important event, but the political will of the rulers of the region must be provided for the success of this delicate path. It is a necessary condition for conducting a responsible dialogue that builds the desired consensus, because the elusive approach will not help solve the region's burning problems.

Today reconstruction policy is being discussed in countries affected by wars and armed conflicts. This will be done only after a profound and serious reconciliation that is far from maneuvers and temporary calculations. This requires a serious assessment of the root causes that led to previous crises in order not to recur in the future. King Mohammed VI of Morocco, when he opened the road to the transitional justice process long before the Arab Spring, aimed to overcome the years of bullets his father was leading and to move the country to a new situation peacefully and peacefully with the participation of the victims of yesterday .

Reconciliation and transitional justice are therefore linked to democracy as a model of governance. Anyone who talks about this choice without thinking about reviewing energy management will be far from wanting to address the root causes of the enormous crises that the Arab region is going through. Transitional justice or reconciliation does not mean repentance and return to the house of obedience, but rather a mechanism for respect for the rights and enjoyment of fundamental freedoms. "There is no winner or loser" according to one participant.

In the last session of the conference, the delegations of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain asked to speak with surprise at the recommendations contained in the final report that had not been presented to them before. Some of these recommendations will be difficult to accept, especially with regard to the statement that "the state is responsible for past violations and undertakes not to repeat them through the enactment of laws and new institutions. impunity and the reparation of victims ". The rest of the discussions will take place three months later in the State of Qatar, whose representative welcomes all the recommendations contained in the Moroccan declaration.

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